Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov.5
By Seba Aghayeva - Trend:
Azerbaijan's Consulate General in Russia's St. Petersburg city has sent a letter of protest to the city administration.
The letter of protest has been sent over the information about planned tours of St. Petersburg's 'Imperial' сhapiteau circus to Azerbaijan's Nagorno-Karabakh region occupied by Armenia, the consulate general told Trend Nov.5.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The two countries signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Russia, France and the US are currently holding peace negotiations.
"Corresponding letters about inadmissibility of holding this event on the Azerbaijani lands occupied by Armenia have been sent to the St. Petersburg administration and Committee of Culture of this city," said the diplomatic mission.
The consulate general said that in order to discuss the issue, it is planned to hold meetings with the official representatives of the St. Petersburg administration, Committee of Culture and Russian Foreign Ministry's office in this city.
St. Petersburg "Imperial" сhapiteau circus is a commercial enterprise founded in 2005, but not a chapiteau circus within Bolshoi St. Petersburg State Circus, which opened in December 1877. Moreover, the Bolshoi Chapiteau Circus continues legal wrangling with "Imperial" over its misappropriation of historic "chapiteau" brand name, said the diplomatic mission.
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